I will utterly cherish the time I spent here forever. I was lucky enough to have spent five beautiful months on this campus, and my experience was nothing short of amazing.
I recently graduated from University with my bachelor's in Health Science, so the opportunity to work in the school and hospital at your door service was unmatched.
The
… read more students at the school are so lovely and so curious; it is a privilege to be able to teach and form bonds with them. Within my first week of arrival here, the school had unexpectedly received 50 children from Manipur who fled their state due to civil unrest. My assigned task was to focus on these students and catch them up to speed as they will be integrated with the other children in the upcoming school year. These kids are indeed special; I feel honored to have met them, taught them, and spent time with them both in and out of the classroom. I leave here truly having formed such deep and emotional bonds, and I cannot wait to return and see them again. I was first assigned to teach these students in English, and it was delightful to see their capabilities grow. After the first four months, I was instructed to transition their teaching to science courses, which I was overjoyed to do as my educational background directly applies to this subject. I could genuinely see the interest in the students grow as the weeks passed.
Along with these students, I was also appointed to daily classes in the main school, which was also a joy, and the children were always incredibly excited to work alongside a volunteer. I felt like a welcomed staff member, and I wouldn't trade my time here for anything else. Spending additional time with the hostel students here during meals, movies, and study hours was lovely. There was an abundance of opportunities to help and form bonds; it made it almost impossible not to love this school and everyone inside of it.
It was a terrific experience to also work with the doctors at the hospital at your door service. They have a mobile hospital that serves the surrounding villages with extremely low-cost medical care. Because of my background and intentions to obtain my medical degree, this was an indispensable experience for me. It was great to see the surrounding villages, and the doctors were very kind to me, always translating what the patient was saying and explaining why certain medications were prescribed and the medical history behind those who would come in. For anyone interested in the medical field, this is a perfect opportunity to learn more and be immersed in the medical processes of a different country. While I do not currently have my MD, so I could not actively contribute, I learned so much about the extensive number of ailments and diseases that plague India and its people. I now have a much deeper understanding of what doctors here must undergo.
In addition to the children, the staff and teachers were so amicable and welcoming. Always available to assist in times of need, with a warm smile on their face, and always willing and excited to communicate and learn more. I felt so comfortable on this beautiful campus and knew I would always be taken care of if there was any issue. I was also lucky enough to serve my time here in conjunction with the volunteer coordinator, who was so fantastic and kindhearted. I really enjoyed the time I spent with her and the other volunteers.
The accomodations were exsiquite and I felt so grateful and fortunate. It is an immaculate and gorgeous campus, and the rooms are great. I was lucky enough to have a room by myself for the vast majority of my stay, as I was also studying for my MCAT in my free time, and it was a perfect place to stay. The guest house is lovely and an excellent place for all the volunteers to gather- and the new facility for guests I have seen them building over the last months looks superb! I am so excited to see how the building turns out, but it looks amazing. The rooms were also cleaned for you, which was so kind, and laundry could be done if you would like it cleaned and pressed. This organization truly knows what it means to go far above and beyond for their volunteers, and they exemplify marvelous hospitality.
The food is also provided on campus, with three meals a day and a snack if you would like. The food is delicious, and an on-site mineral plant supplies the clean water, so you know everything is of the utmost quality and care. It was also so much fun to sit with the students and talk with them during meals; it was a very enjoyable bonding activity over various foods!
The volunteers would also be taken out for weekend outings and participate in every festival or celebration that happened inside and outside of campus. It was very gracious of the staff to accommodate the volunteer's wishes to site-see/shop, and they would accompany us on our trips to ensure the safety of all members. I also came at the perfect time to witness all of the biggest festivals in India (September- February), and I was always involved in every activity with the school; I felt so honored to be a part of the celebrations and events on campus, and I always felt very welcomed, comfortable, and taken care of.
Overall, my experience was astounding, and I am more than grateful for my experience at this organization. It was a privilege to serve as a volunteer here. I will miss all of the students and staff so dearly, and I hope to be back very soon.